TNI seeks quick end to war

The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh

The military's biggest setback during three weeks of the offensive to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has prompted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu to seek a quick end to the war, but added his troops were ready to fight the rebels for as long as it took.

"The government has given us six months for the operation, but the faster the better," Ryamizard told reporters on Thursday. "However if this (six months) is not enough, we will ask for an extension. We don't want GAM to think that everything will simply return to normal after that six months."

Indonesia launched an integrated operation, mostly involving a military offensive against GAM, after it declared martial law on May 19 following the collapse of the five-month-old peace accord.

It marks the second major military operation mounted in Aceh, with the previous one taking place when the province was a military operation zone (DOM) between 1989 and 1998.

According to Ryamizard, the present military operation is making better progress than the earlier one, claiming that people were more supportive this time around.

The military recorded its highest death toll in one incident so far with the killing of seven soldiers during a clash in Matan Kumbang district in North Aceh between Monday and Tuesday.

"We must learn a lesson from this. We don't want this to happen again," Ryamizard said. "If the enemy changes its strategy, then so must we."

Despite his desire for a quick operation, Ryamizard said the TNI had no plans to bring in more troops to Aceh. Around 28,000 soldiers have been deployed to the province to fight the rebels, whom the military estimates number about 5,000.

During the three weeks of fighting, 23 soldiers have been killed either in combat or in accidents.

Ostensibly for his own safety, the military has asked an American journalist traveling with the leaders of GAM to leave the rebels by June 14, saying the TNI could not guarantee his safety beyond that deadline.

Aceh military operation commander Brig. Gen. Bambang Darmono said that William Nessen should report to the military within two days, or by Saturday at 6 p.m. at the latest.

"If he reports himself to the nearest military post, hopefully I can guarantee his safety," Bambang told the press on Thursday.

He said he might have met Nessen once before he started traveling with the rebels, adding that if so the American knew his cellular phone number and should call him.

"He might be reluctant to contact me, so I would like to tell him to please call me on my cellular phone anytime. The number is 0811-961046."

He said Nessen had been with the rebels for a month, or before Indonesia launched its military operation against GAM on May 19.

Nessen might be traveling with GAM leader Muzakir Manaf, who is thought to be somewhere in the Nisam and Sawang areas in the North Aceh regency, according to Bambang.

He said this information had been obtained following an attack on rebel positions in those areas on Wednesday, June 12. Soldiers found equipment Nessen had left behind when he fled the scene with the rebels. Some of the abandoned equipment contained video footage of GAM in action, said Bambang.

"He (Nessen) wants to get out, but he is facing difficulties in doing so. What those difficulties are precisely, I don't know," said Bambang.

On Monday, Aceh martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya warned the American to part company with the GAM rebels, citing concern over his safety. His statement followed the shooting by soldiers of a German tourist couple on June 4. One died and the other sustained a bullet wound as soldiers mistook them for rebels while they spent the night on a beach in Aceh Jaya regency.

"We are just wasting our energy in dealing with matters like this," Endang said.

Bambang now says that the military will not be to blame if Nessen is hurt during an attack on GAM positions once the June 18 deadline has passed.

"The military operation must go on. It cannot stop because of William Nessen," he said.

Nessen is known for his ability to establish contact with GAM, and his articles on the province have been published in many major newspapers around the world, such as the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and The Boston Globe.

He is also close to journalists in Aceh, who call him "Abu Billy".

Also on Thursday, a military court sentenced three soldiers to four months in jail for assaulting civilians during a raid on GAM rebels. This is the second conviction of overzealous soldiers to come as the war in Aceh enters its fourth week.

Judge Maj. Hulwani, who read out the verdict, sentenced First Sgt. Hariono to four months in jail, while First Pvt. Alfian and Second Pvt. Sudaryanto were both sentenced to four months and 20 days. Military prosecutors had demanded eight-month jail terms.